Fans root for Schalmont athlete with cancer

Struggling Schalmont athlete stays determined

Dante Gallucci, 15, keeps up with school work at his dining room table Wednesday Oct. 2, 2013, in Rotterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Dante Gallucci, 15, keeps up with school work at his dining room table Wednesday Oct. 2, 2013, in Rotterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Photo: John Carl D'Annibale

Photo: John Carl D'Annibale

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Dante Gallucci, 15, keeps up with school work at his dining room table Wednesday Oct. 2, 2013, in Rotterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Dante Gallucci, 15, keeps up with school work at his dining room table Wednesday Oct. 2, 2013, in Rotterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Photo: John Carl D'Annibale

Fans root for Schalmont athlete with cancer

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Rotterdam

Despite hours of chemotherapy every day for the past few months, Dante "Big Guy" Gallucci is determined not to let his weight fall below 200 pounds.

The nearly 6-foot-4 teen, once a muscular three-sport star athlete from Rotterdam, is down to 202 pounds.

Before being diagnosed earlier this year with an aggressive form of cancer, the now-15-year-old tipped the scales at 240 pounds and was the starting defensive end on the Schalmont varsity football team.

For all his life, the sophomore, who wears size 15 sneakers, appeared to be the picture of health.

His mother, Teri Gallucci, said Dante had been playing basketball since he was 3 years old, but gravitated to football as he got older. He is also on Schalmont's track team.

"To me, he's never, ever been sick," said Teri Gallucci, who is not working right now so she can be Dante's primary caregiver. "What it really teaches you is that (cancer) doesn't discriminate."

To make ends meet, her husband, Glenn, a state Department of Transportation engineer, works longer hours. They also have a daughter, Briana, 18.

The first hint that something might be wrong with Dante was when he had his four wisdom teeth pulled in late April.

More Information

Comedy night

Friday

7 to 11 p.m.

Mallozzi's Ballroom

1930 Curry Road in Rotterdam

The $50-per-person donation includes buffet dinner and beverages

The event will feature Coach Tom Whitely and Larry DeFelice, comics from New Jersey, and two Capital Region comedians, Rich Williams and Frank Gentile.

A week later, his neck started to swell up. His doctors thought it was a bacterial infection and put him on antibiotics. When that didn't work, Dante had a scan for lymphoma.

Even before that, Dante's huge neck caught the attention of some of his teammates, his mother said. The teens did their own research and talked about the fact that their friend might have some form of cancer.

It was a foreshadowing of things to come.

Gallucci recalled being in the parking lot of their local Price Chopper on Altamont Avenue with Dante when she got the call from the doctor alerting her that her son had what appeared to be lymphoma.

"We had a moment, looking at each other, and I told him: 'It's serious, but you have to remain strong, and everything will be OK." The Galluccis learned on May 30 that Dante had T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma.

The cancer can spread quickly to different parts of the body, and in many ways it is similar to leukemia, according to information online. Lymphoblastic lymphoma mostly affects people in their late teens or early 20s, and is more common in men than in women.

Teri Gallucci said Dante worried about not being able to hang out as much with his friends, and about losing his hair.

"The greatest difficulty was that he wasn't going to be able to play football," added Gallucci.

Instead of daily workouts, Dante's regimen quickly turned to three to four hours of intravenous chemotherapy in the mornings and oral chemotherapy at nights. So far, Dante has endured five blood transfusions.

Within 28 days of the diagnosis, the cancer went into remission, said Teri Gallucci, 47.

Though Dante is sidelined, he is still very much a part of the Sabres football squad.

"I don't believe he would have gotten through this the way he has if he didn't have football," said Teri Gallucci, who said her son forged a special bond with team quarterback Dalton Cooke. "When I look at him, it's almost like he's in training for football."

Head football coach Joe Whipple said the undefeated Sabres have dedicated the season to Dante. They have Dante's No. 77 in black permanent marker on the back of their helmets.

"When a family member is battling something, we need to battle with him," Whipple said. He said Dante continues to embody what Schalmont is all about: persevering through adversity.

"He's still the same kid, even two days after treatment. He'll come to our games, and is always very calm and keeps things in perspective."

Gallucci said Dante's battle against cancer is a life lesson for his friends. It's made the Schalmont community even closer.

"The boys are experiencing something that they might not otherwise have experienced, and it's making them better people," Gallucci said. "It's close to home and it's personal." She said all the love from the community has only boosted her son's fighting spirit and his steely resolve.

Dante has three tutors, but some of his teachers routinely stop by the family's home.

On Friday, Mallozzi's will host a comedy night fundraiser, with part of the proceeds being donated to help with Dante's medical expenses and the remainder to the Schalmont Youth football.

"He's just missing out on a lot of his growing up years," said John Steve, the event promoter, adding that they are hoping to raise $15,000. Tickets will be available at the door.